MY TOP 5 FAVORITE BANDS (UPDATED AUGUST 2012)

If I were to say I listen to a lot of music, I’d seriously be understating it. If I’m not listening to music for pleasure, I’m listening to it while I work on the computer (like right now) or when I train my clients. I could always find the right song to play for the current mood I’m in. I say all of these things because I want you to understand how hard it is for me to choose my top 5 bands; there are just so many bands that I enjoy hearing sweet sounds from. In an effort to complete this post I have compiled my top 5. Keep in mind that these are my current top 5, and they are likely to fluctuate on a month by month basis.

I would love to know who your top 5 favorite bands are; leave a comment in the box below this post!

Without further a due, here are my top 5:

———————————————————————————————————————————————

NUMBER 5 – FLORENCE + THE MACHINE (Updated August 2012, previously occupied by Kings Of Leon)

Yes they are categorized as band, hence “+ The Machine”. Lately, this English indie rock band has stolen my musical heart. Not only does Flo (lead singer, Florence Welch) have a beautiful transcending voice, but she also writes really profound lyrics. Flo has stated in the past that her songs are “stories with consequences and weird morality issues.” I remember watching a YouTube video of them performing “You’ve Got The Love” from V Festival 2010; the way the song starts off slowly and then builds up is something special; Flo’s bold and brass voice explodes half way through the song giving me chills down my spine, it was an absolutely flawless performance! Go listen to their MTV Unplugged performance, and I dare you not to have goose bumps as it is one of the best MTV Unplugged performances I have ever seen; it’s right up there with Nirvana’s famous 1994 performance. I’m finally going to be able to see Florence + The Machine perform live next month (September 2012) in Sunrise, Florida (pictures, videos, and review to come).

SONGS YOU MUST LISTEN TO: “No Light, No Light”, “Shake It Out”, “Spectrum”, “Never Let Me Go”, “Only If For A Night”.

———————————————————————————————————————————————

NUMBER 4 – THE STROKES:

These guys are the epitome of American rock. Their album “Is This It” is one of my all time favorites; each song on that CD is a classic; the only bad thing about that album is it’s length, just over 30 mins. With turbulent guitar riffs, sick bass lines, and unique vocals (sounds like he’s singing from a payphone), The Strokes are one hell of a rock group. They have influenced some of the best bands out today; Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines, and many more! My only regret is not having seen them live yet, this is partly due to their 3+ years hibernation period. I’m so glad these guys are back together now recording great music.

SONGS YOU MUST LISTEN TO: “Last Night”, “Take It Or Leave It”, “Taken For A Fool”,”Under Control”, “You Only Live Once”.

———————————————————————————————————————————————

NUMBER 3 – FOSTER THE PEOPLE:

You may be thinking how the heck can a band that’s so new, with only one album, be in my top 5? All I can say is that these guys do it for me! Their debut album “Torches” is quirky, cool, and undeniably a brilliant mix of dance, and pop/rock. Listen to any song from them once, and you’ll be singing it in your head all day. I haven’t even mentioned how electric and fun their live performances are; I’m actually seeing them perform live two weeks from today in Central Park, two nights in a row! Full review to come. Just YouTube one of their live performances and you’ll see why I love these guys so much.

SONGS YOU MUST LISTEN TO: “Waste”, “Ruby”, “Helena Beat”, “Call It What You Want”.

———————————————————————————————————————————————

NUMBER 2 – THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT:

The best way to describe these guys is “poetry you can dance to”. Lyrically, lead singer Mikel Jollett is probably the most talented writer in the music industry today. It’s a shame that TATE is not very popular here in the United States; I don’t know why that is. I had the pleasure of seeing them perform live last November in Orlando; I was already very much into their music but they stole my heart that evening. You get everything you need from their music; intimate poetic storytelling, fast-dancing drums, wailing guitars, and anthemic hooks. They are true musicians in every sense of the word.

SONGS YOU MUST LISTEN TO: ”Sometime Around Midnight”, “Innocence”, “All At Once”, “Happiness Is Overrated”.

———————————————————————————————————————————————

NUMBER 1 – THE KILLERS:

When it comes to my #1 band, The Killers have occupied that spot for the last 6 years; I don’t see this changing anytime soon. I fell in love with these guys back in 2006 when I saw them perform live during their Sam’s Town tour. I’ve seen them a total of 5 times, and I’m seeing them again at FireFly Festival this July; they are by far the greatest live performers I’ve ever seen. I can go on and on about how amazing their music is, but in an effort to keep this post short I’ll just say this; all four members of The Killers combine to make something extraordinary, something magical, near musical perfection! Whichever musical itch I have, they always manage to scratch it. They have lyrics that mean so much to me that I have some of them tattooed on my rib cage. If you aren’t a “victim” of The Killers, do yourself a favor and change that.